How do you motivate yourself as an entrepreneur?

I spent most of my career in the corporate world going into an office with fixed hours. I am finding it challenging motivating myself without that structure. What are some ways others have created structure and found motivation as an entrepreneur?

I live in Glendale, CA which is part of the massive sea of people that is L.A. so perhaps it's easier for me, but I do come across others here with the same issue. One way they deal with this is to seek out entrepreneur groups of which there are many on meetup.com. If there isn't one in your area, start one!

The best of these meet as often as weekly, and have guest speakers who provide valuable content for entrepreneurs. A great example of this is Innovate Pasadena, which gets 70-80 or so attendees every Friday morning.

However, what you experience is also a symptom of having chosen a business that isn't aligned with your purpose, which is the unique role you can play that makes a meaningful difference in the world and which supports you while doing so.

Most people start businesses because they believe they can make money in that business, but there's no real passion driving that decision. When your business model is based on making meaningful positive change (and what's meaningful to you is the key), the passion that accompanies that purpose will drive you through any obstacle and to reach out to find those others who complement your offering and who are excited about what you're doing.

Once again, the solution is community, either finding and/or creating it.

It helps to keep a calendar and stick to a schedule giving yourself breaks throughout the day that are also limited.

At the beginning of the day, look at your list of what needs to be worked on so you have that focus and goal. At the end of the day, review and celebrate what you accomplished. If you felt disappointed, then look at what distracted you. If you can remove it from your immediate area, then it is important to do that. Unfortunately, my distraction is email. I can get very distracted by massive emails. I try to remove myself from lists and use rules to filter emails. But, ultimately, I simply have to delete without reviewing much of what I get and I have to time myself or half the day is gone.

If it is a task that needs done before you can feel focused, then do it so you can get back to working.

Another suggestion is to have an accountability partner - another business owner/ solopreneur that you share a list of what you want to accomplish at the beginning of the week and at the end of the week, share your progress.

Have a ritual to get you in the mood to work. Maybe it is playing a type of music that gets you ready to work or makes it more enjoyable while you are.

If you have kids, that adds another level of complexity. It can be done. But it's important to have a sitter during important meetings/phone calls if they are young enough that they will disturb your meeting.

Do everything you did as an employee, except your doing it now for your OWN company(which is much better and that in itself is a HUGE motivator!).
For example:
Set your working hours AND adhere to them. For example, 8am (at your computer) 12pm (1 hour break for lunch) 5pm ( log off and shut your office door). Now the 5pm will often last longer as you continue to grow your business and you will be working more around the clock. But this example is to help you set the structure that you need and should keep when as you transition, but we as entrepreneurs tend to work longer, especially in the beginning.
2. Set your company goals for the week in writing and check them off as you go. Then add them to your monthly goals and so on. For example ( by the end of this week I will have my company email set up, my business phone line set up, new cards ordered , the marketing portion of my business plan will be completed, twitter or Facebook set up, and or contact a Web developer/Social Media expert etc..

The goal is not to short your business, I am sure you did not short your employer or your boss. If you were a model employee there...then become a model employee (for your own) business!

Thoughts are powerful, and negative thoughts can prevent you from achieving your goals. The flip side is that positive thoughts can be just as powerful. The next time you feel unmotivated, use any of these 50 positive thoughts to reenergize yourself. Really: They work!

1. I can do anything. It’s a simple phrase, but it helps to remind yourself -- you really can do anything you set your mind to.

2. This is why I can. Instead of giving yourself reasons why you can’t do something, give yourself reasons why you can.

3. I deserve more. You deserve a better life -- whether that means a better job, a healthier body or more money. Work for it.

4. It’s never too late. No matter how old you are or how many opportunities you’ve passed up before, it’s never too late to make a decision and get a fresh start.

5. There will always be challenges. No matter what you do in life, there will always be challenges -- don’t let one set get the better of you.

6. There’s no "perfect" time. If you’re waiting for the perfect moment, forget about it -- there’s no such thing.

7. There’s no perfect plan. There are some definite flaws in your plan -- but there are in every plan.

8. Everybody starts somewhere. Nobody is born successful. Everyone starts somewhere, and usually from the bottom.

9. One step at a time. Don’t try to do everything at once. Reduce it to baby steps.

10. It can only get better. If it’s hard at first, it can only get easier.

11. Failure is temporary. If you fail, you’re in good company -- most successes come only after several rounds of failure.

12. Mistakes are learning opportunities. If you mess up, you can only become better for it.

13. Today is all I can control. Forget about what you did yesterday. Today is what matters.

14. If it were easy, everyone would do it. Nothing worth doing is easy.

15. “Someday” is today. If you’re like most people, you use the word “someday” to describe your goals and desires. Make today that someday.

Visualise what your goal is and where you will be when you achieve the same. That should be your biggest motivation. The real motivation is from within. And the feeling of achieving your goals should work as the motivation.

And if you miss your corporate job setup, ask yourself again and remind yourself, what it is and what it is that made you take the plunge? With limited funds, it may not be practical to have that structure and setup in place when you start. But you can start step by step. Make a list and prioritize what you need to get done that will directly impact the results.

You answered your own question. Structure is easy to design but habits come from practice but don't let your structure allow procrastination to avoid the hard stuff. Figure out for every day what you must do, should do and could do for success. Put the must do's on your calendar with a time and do them. Get away from internet browsing and email distractions until a prescribed, small window, that you honor. No matter how hard people try and create habits they ultimately do what they want...you need to be sure what you really want to do, maybe you need a job, maybe you just need a plan. Other people's tricks and suggestions may work but only if it is what you honestly want, do you know what that is?

I have a few thoughts and a challenge. First, you can easily create the same structure you had in the corporate world by working the same fixed hours, if that's what suits you and your business. A home office or dedicated works space may get you in your groove and allow you to get more done. Second, start your work day with something you enjoy doing - that enjoyment can drive you through the more menial tasks that must be done. You can repeat this throughout the day, as well, if you get stuck. Thirdly, organize your work in such a way that you have firm deadlines, even if they're not needed. A deadline is often the driving force that helps us to accomplish more. And finally, my challenge. Have you considered that maybe being an entrepreneur is not what's best for you? Every entrepreneur I have ever known has been self-motivated and had an intrinsic drive that pushed them forward. Being your own boss sounds great and wonderful, but in reality it's not for everyone. For starters, it often takes a lot more work than a normal office job, as you are wearing several hats that used to be taken care of for you. I suggest taking a hard look in the mirror and seeing if the entrepreneur life is really what's best for you. There would be little worse than spitting and sputtering as an entrepreneur to the point where your business fails and you've been away from the workforce too long to go back.

As a design build team, our work has changed and evolved over the years. Working at different sites and locations has kept the work exciting and fresh. For the last 11 years, my company focus has been highly sustainable design/build work. The work I am doing designing and building Net Positive Energy Microgrid structures is very challenging and engaging. My primary motivation for this work is to do what I can within my areas of expertise to mitigate and help reverse climate change.
Secondly, but equally as important. is to develop this as a replicable positive ROI system and model for development, for ourselves and other real estate developers to follow. We are trying to encourage other developers to follow this path, by proving that one can get equal or greater ROI by building highly sustainable structures, as this historically has been one major obstruction to "sustainable development".

One suggestion I don't see in the other answers (which are all very good, by the way!) is to re-create the work environment which motivated you in the corporate world. For example, I need to be around people and feel part of a team, so I work as a sub-contractor to other marketing agencies. This gives me a team to share ideas with, brainstorm and problem-solve with and be accountable to. Sometimes I actually I need the motivation of having others physically around me so I will reach out to a fellow consultant and schedule a co-working session at a local coffee shop for a few hours. Learn what you need to keep motivated and then re-create it yourself!

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